President Asif Ali Zardari has directed the authorities to make full use of satellite imaging and Google mapping system in all the sectors of economy to accelerate pace of development and strategic projects as well as ensure greater transparency.
He stated this during a briefing given to him at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Thursday, regarding the status of implementation of Satellite Imaging Project. The president said use of latest technology for monitoring and evaluation would help keep check on quality and progress of developmental projects and also counter corrupt practices with help of greater transparency.
Zardari advised relevant government departments including Planning Commission, Geological Survey of Pakistan and Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (Suparco) to pool their resources and work in close co-ordination to develop and implement an effective satellite monitoring system.
The meeting also reviewed progress on implementation of decisions taken in the previous meetings, including launching of spatial database of Pakistan, digitalisation of storage of land revenue maps, survey of districts Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad and Karachi, pilot project undertaken for socio-economic and demographic mapping of selected areas in district Jehlum and calculation of man-hours of the exercise done in district Jhelum to work out requirement for other districts.
The briefing given by Senator Sughra Imam was also attended by M. Salman Faruqui, Secretary General to President, Malik Asif Hayat, Secretary to President, Ashraf M Hayat, Secretary Planning Commission, Asif Bajwa, secretary statistics, Lieutenant General Shahid Niaz (Retd), Member Planning Commission, Spokesperson to President Farhatullah Babar, Major General Munawar Ahmed Solehria, Surveyor General of Pakistan, Imran Iqbal, Member Suparco, Khizar Hayat Khan, Census Commissioner and other senior government officials.-PR